December 2009

Winter Arthritis Care for Horses

The products you’ll need and management strategy to keep your horse comfortable.

Like all athletes, few horses completely escape the scourge of arthritis in their lifetimes. Even horses that have been sound usually develop arthritis in their later years, when age-related declines occur in the number of cartilage-producing cells. Some chronic conditions also influence bone and joint health. Cold weather is

You’ll certainly want to ensure your arthritic horse is on a good joint nutraceutical product.

particularly difficult, making stiff joints stiffer, so get ready to fight back.

Exercise. One of your most potent weapons for keeping joints moving well despite arthritis is exercise. Turnout is not enough. Standing in the field with butts turned to the wind is not exercise. Exercise causes the release of cytokines, like heat-shock protein, which are cellular messengers that encourage the production…